Produttori del Barbaresco Nebbiolo Langhe

Prior to 1894, Nebbiolo grapes were sold to make Barolo wine or simply labelled "Nebbiolo di Barbaresco". But in 1894, Domizio Cavazza, headmaster of the Royal Enological School of Alba and a Barbaresco resident, created the first cooperative, the "Cantine Sociali", by gathering together nine Barbaresco vineyard owners to make wine in the local castle that he owned. Cavazza understood that there were differences between Nebbiolo grapes grown in the Barolo district versus the same grapes grown in the Barbaresco district and, for the first time, recognized it on the wine label. The "Cantine Sociali" was forced to close in the 1920'S because of fascist economic rules. In 1958, the priest of the village of Barbaresco, recognizing that the only way the small properties could survive was by joining their efforts, gathered together nineteen small growers and founded the Produttori del Barbaresco. The first three vintages were made in the church basement, and then in the winery built across the square from where the Produttori is still located. United once again, the small growers continued the work started by Domizio Cavazza, producing only Barbaresco wine and enhancing both the reputation of the wine and the village. This wine is produced every year by the Produttori del Barbaresco; it ranges from 10 to 30% of the total production depending on the quality of the vintage (the better the vintage is the less Nebbiolo is produced). It is a second label for the Barbaresco and it is made with the grapes from young vines or those vineyards that produced a less intense and concentrated juice. It still has the quality necessary to be classified a Barbaresco, but the Winery declassifies it in order to sell it at a younger age and maintain the Barbaresco quality as high as possible. The wine is medium bodied with good fruit concentration and spicy notes of white pepper and anise with a good tannic finish. The wine is aged for 6 months in large oak barrels.